Former student government member Rustom Z. Birdie has retracted his application to the John Wooden Center Board of Governors in response to student protest.

At Tuesday’s Undergraduate Student Association Council meeting, four students expressed their disapproval that Birdie had been nominated for a position on the Board of Governors. Birdie resigned from his position as financial supports commissioner in April after the council found he had used office resources to promote the startup website Jobbook.com.

After observing student reaction at the meeting, Emily Resnick, president of USAC, decided to rescind Birdie’s appointment.
In light of the public comments last night, the student council recognized that it would not be appropriate to appoint Birdie to the Board of Governors, Resnick said in an emailed statement.

Tierra Moore, the 2010-2011 chief of staff in the USAC president’s office, said in an emailed statement she was speechless when she learned Birdie was nominated for the appointment.

Moore, a third-year global studies and political science student, said she was concerned because the John Wooden Center Board of Governors handles student fee money.

Birdie said he applied for the position because he understood how presidential appointments worked from his experience in student government.

“I still wanted to stay involved in the most efficient way and I thought an appointment would be a good way to keep serving UCLA,” Birdie said.

Birdie said he decided to retract his nomination after hearing student objections.